Radio Atlantic, IA – AM 1220

Branstad on US Senate race: “The last thing we need is another congressman”

April 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Republican Governor Terry Branstad seems to be suggesting Republican Congressman Steve King either is not running or should not run for the U.S. Senate. “I really believe that Iowans want somebody that will serve in the Senate that will be an Iowa problem solver, not another congressman,” Branstad said. “You know congress is a mess. We’ve seen them spend a trillion dollars more than they take in every year and so the Democrats have decided, ‘Well, we’re going to send up another congressman.’ That’s the last thing we need is another congressman in the United States Senate.”

Democratic Senator Tom Harkin announced in January that he would not seek reelection in 2014. Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley started running for the Senate in February, but no Republican has stepped forward. Several in the G-O-P have said they’re considering it, including state Senator Joni Ernst of Red Oak and state Ag Secretary Bill Northey. “The contrast of having an Iowa problem solver versus somebody who that’s had all of their service in Washington, D.C. in the congress would be a very good thing for Republicans,” Branstad says.

Steve King served six years in the state senate before being elected to congress in 2002. While Branstad told reporters this morning that King was a “very effective” state legislator, the governor then doubled down on his anti-congressman pitch. “That last thing we need is another congressman in the United States Senate,” Branstad said. “The congress is so messed up. They are so unable to make tough decisions. They are so far out of touch with the public in terms of their spending policies that we just need somebody that’s going to come there with fresh ideas and we’ve got some of those in Iowa.”

Senator Harkin served 10 years as a congressman before he was elected to the Senate in 1984. Republican Chuck Grassley had been a congressman for six years before he was elected to the Senate in 1980.